An Integrated Approach to Communication Theory and Research

An Integrated Approach to Communication Theory and Research

Synopsis

This volume provides an integrated overview of communication study for the student. In preparing to teach introductory graduate courses the authors could not find a single text that provided both theoretical coverage of the broad scope of communication study, as well as a text that integrated the theory with the research. This book puts theory into research and explains how research operates within theory. To explicate the integration process, the chapter contributors - experts in their respective areas - offer samples in the form of hypothetical studies, published studies, or unpublished research, showing how theory and research are integrated in their particular fields.

The book is different from other texts available for the graduate student or faculty member who wants a good overview of not only the field, but also sample research stemming from its various component parts. The material presented is designed to further understanding among scholars and students regarding the mass/human communication divide, as well as different approaches to integrating theory and research in different areas of communication. The editors hope that this volume will pique scholarly interest, and challenge theorists and researchers to look at the broader scope of communication study, and begin to work together in formulating a truly grounded communication approach to communication theory and research.

Excerpt

This volume focuses on integrating theory and research in communication study. The terms "theory" and "research" are often linked together, like bread and butter, bagel and cream cheese, or speech communication and mass communication. It is stating the obvious to say that theory and research should be similarly linked together. Despite the obviousness of this statement, it comments on our field that a volume such as this that links communication theory and research in the same chapters is needed.

Our purpose in editing this volume is to provide both seasoned scholars and beginning students unfamiliar with the state of theory and research in various areas of communication study to provide with a taste, a sampler if you will, of current theory and research in communication. To explicate the integration process, the chapter contributors, experts in their respective areas, offer sample studies in the form of hypothetical studies, published studies, or unpublished research, showing how theory and research are integrated in their particular areas.

The idea for this book grew out of a series of informal discussions between the coeditors by the water cooler, in the photocopy room, in the hallway, by the coffee machine, and outside faculty mailboxes. In these discussions, we complained about the difficulty of teaching communication students communication theory and research. As with many programs, theory and research are taught in the University of Miami's School of Communication as separate courses. This clean curricular separation, however, bears no resemblance to how the courses are actually taught. Faculty who teach communication theory often digress into a discussion on research methods to make sense of exemplar studies. This is no small matter; sometimes an entire theory class is devoted to discussions of research methods. Likewise, faculty who teach research methods have--out of necessity--had to bring discussion of theory into their courses. It was clear that the teachers were not to blame for this situation; the curriculum was at fault. In attempting to alleviate the problem of linking theory and research in communication study, we were astounded to find that no single volume attacked the . . .